Show Me Series
by moodiful819
Summary: 50 themes with multiple pairings, all revolving around the complexity of human emotion. Ch.13: It wasn’t plausible in the least. Itachi couldn’t possibly have a crush on his girlfriend unless… “You bastard!” ItaSakuSasu. Non-massacre.
1. Show Me Heaven: ItaHana

Title: Show Me Heaven

Rating: M

Genre: Angst/ Romance

Character(s): Uchiha Itachi and Inuzuka Hana

Summary: She whispered in his ear, the sound of her voice sending shivers up his spine, but it was her words that shook him the most. "Show me heaven…"

---

Fire crackled and he watched the wood burn and hiss as sparks flew into the air. It was night. Well after midnight and though he wanted sleep, it was still his shift, or at least until Kisame finally arose and took his.

He prodded the fire with the stick in his hand, never turning away from the scene. Of the flames slowly engulfing the wood that he knew would leave nothing but a pile of grey ash in its wake. They flickered before his eyes and the fire crackled, sparks cascading down upon him, but he never flinched and he never tore his gaze away from the flames.

Fire had always been an attraction to him. Whether it was because fire ran naturally through his veins due to his blood or because of the dazzling spectacle they gave, he didn't know, but fire never ceased to amaze him. It was a ravaging beauty. Stunning as it destroyed everything in its path and left a barren wasteland as its passion died with the wind. It reminded him of something and he felt something in his heart warm much like the fire before him did for his body.

A wind crossed the forest area where they camped and the barest of shivers ran through him as the sparks carried off into the grass. Laying his stick down, he walked over to smother the would-be fire when he spotted something.

"Hana?" he asked, plucking the flower from the ground. Turning on his heel, the red clouds on his black cloak rippling in the firelight as he walked, he sat upon his log to study the anomaly in his hand. Strange due to the fact this was neither the climate nor setting for any flower to grow, but something else as well.

It was fall, just when the first chills of winter were starting to appear and the forest terrain was full of hardy plants and trees that blocked out the sun, but they camped in an area where the trees gave way slightly to the visage of the moon, so there was a possible chance that it could survive, but that wasn't all. This flower was a dicot, characterized by its broad leaves and four petals. It was similar to a pansy in appearance, but in addition to the standard purple and white, red streaks ran down the white coloring.

He spun the flower, experimentally. The lush petals caught the light and reminded him of a rose. He let his guard drop slightly, resting his head on his shoulder as he spun it lazily, entranced by the swirling colors when he hissed suddenly.

He looked down as the flower with minor disdain as he brought his finger to his lips and licked the blood from the wound. How long had it been since he had seen his own blood?

"Another flower with thorns?" he mused to himself as he watched the blood droplet quiver on its thorny hold and held the flower over the fire as the fire swallowed the red droplet and reduced it to little more than a memory. Now he knew why the flower had entranced him. It reminded him of _her._

In their childhood, she had always been by his side. He did not mind her company. She was neither unwanted nor unneeded. She was quiet and supportive of all he did and he admired that. Where his family had demanded all he had shown and more, she seemed to demand him and him only, and he was, oddly, thankful for that.

It was a fine summer morning when they shared their first kiss. He had just finished training and as she came up to him with some lunch and smiled at him, he leaned forward to kiss her. He didn't know why he did it; it just happened unexpectedly, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant and she didn't seem to mind it either.

Everything seemed to snowball from there. Afterwards, they hung out more. Not for training, but just as friends and more kisses were shared as the summer waned. Any time he could spend away from his family when he wasn't on a mission, he spent with her. They were some of the fondest memories of his home. Her smile was so beautiful back then.

The day he killed his family, he spent his last hours as a citizen of Konoha with her. Unfortunately, he had spent most of the time looking for her, but the last minutes before he did what he knew he had to do, he shared one last kiss with her. It was bittersweet. She seemed to know that and she didn't question him, just looked at him with large unblinking eyes. He simply gave her a sad smile before kissing her cheek and inhaling her scent before leaping into the trees.

After the deed was done, they all assumed that he had stayed away, but he hadn't. He was just good at covering his tracks.

He met with her, on the crest of the hill of the memorial stone on her birthday and at the abandoned compound of his former home on the day they met. Christmas and New Years were out of the question due to all the shinobi off-duty wandering about, but she didn't mind. All she wanted was him and their midnight meetings gave her that.

During the first year of his absence, he met with her once every four months, but a close call forced him to limit their meetings to these days. As the years passed, he found that the glimmer in her eyes had faded. Apparently she thought this needed to stop, that this was wrong, but they never stopped their meetings, but the guilt always shadowed her smile and made him rethink of his choice to kill his clan. But the feeling, like their meetings, would never last long.

He was fifteen when she asked him. It was the anniversary of the day the met and they were sitting on his bed. A thin layer of dust had settled over his belongings as it had the rest of household. The blood staining the floors was gone. Only the fact that where the blood had been spilt was a shade darker than the rest of the floor betrayed the fact of murder.

She sat cross-legged on her bed, wearing nothing but her pajamas, a pair of sleep pants and a tank top while he wore his cloak and ring, his hat resting on the edge of a chair in his room. His legs hung over the edge of his bed as he looked at his bed sheets. They still looked new, as if time had not touched this room, but in reality, she had kept them clean, trying to preserve it as she remembered from years ago.

The moon filtered from his open window. It was full that night and fireflies danced in the gardens outside. When they spoke that night, it was in whispers, even though Sasuke was still away from the compound as he was every year for the mandatory Academy camping trip. It was that night, in the light of the full moon that it happened.

She whispered in his ear, the sound of her voice sending shivers up his spine, but it was her words that shook him the most.

"Show me heaven…"

He stared at her in shock, no trace of his trademark devil-may-care stare on his face as she cradled his head against her and brought her lips to his. The kiss was sweet, but left him aching for more and he pulled her fully against him and relished in her surprised gasp as she felt just how badly he wanted her.

Things became blurred after that. Clothes were shed and words became useless. They couldn't have spoken more than a few words even if they wanted too. Want had them too far in its control for them to do anything but feel and God, did he feel. She felt unbelievable. Things he thought impossible, he felt. The way her breasts pressed against his chest and the feel of her body as he thrust into it made him moan without shame.

Her arms wrapped around him as he would lick and nip and claim, wanting to brand her forever his. He was her first, but that wasn't enough for him. He wanted to be her only and make any man foolish enough to want her to pale in comparison to what he gave.

His Sharingan spun lazily as first, but became wild as his thrusts became more frantic, desperate to show her what she had asked of him before the dawn came and separated them.

Time, he needed more time to be with her, but as her face contorted and she cried out in pleasure, it seemed that time had stopped just for them.

He watched her orgasm, watched as she arched her back and exposed the porcelain skin bearing the small red marks branding her his and screaming his name, and it wasn't long before he felt his control slip and he let go, spilling himself inside her with a bare whisper of her name.

When he woke, the first thing he noticed was that their hands were clasped together. Their legs were tangled together in the sheets and her head rested atop his chest, a small smile on her face. She looked so serene, so fragile. He wanted to stay--desperately, he did, but the dawn was fast approaching and he knew he had to leave.

He also knew it would be their last meeting.

As he got dressed, slipping his shirt over his head, he leaned down to kiss her tenderly in her sleep and it saddened him to know that she would believe this goodbye to be a dream.

And that was the last he saw of Inuzuka Hana, hair spread around her in a purple halo with a smile on her face as she lay tangled in his bed sheets, bathed in the morning light. The last he had heard, she had become a hardened kunoichi and engaged to someone within her clan.

As Itachi spun the flower in his hand, its colors reminiscent of hers, he had to wonder how she felt when after showing her heaven, he showed her hell.


	2. Show Me Hell: ItaHana

Title: Show Me Hell (sequel to Show Me Heaven)

Rating: T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Character(s): Inuzuka Hana and Uchiha Itachi

Summary: It was her wedding day, so why wasn't she happy?

---

"Hana-nee-san!"

The door opened, showing her guest. A young girl with dark brown hair and red fang marks on her cheeks not unlike her own.

"Hana-nee-san!"

"Yes, Azume-chan?" Hana asked her younger cousin, eyes alight as she gazed upon her.

"Aiya! You're still not ready?" Azume cried out as she rushed towards the older female, blue kimono sleeves billowing in the breeze behind her. Hana chuckled amusedly.

"Azume, I still have half an hour until the ceremony," she reminded good-naturedly. Her cousin seemed to think otherwise.

"But—but—but—!" And Hana shushed the younger girl, watching her move to the small daybed set up in the parlor and sit with a pout. "Azume-chan…"

The girl 'hmph'ed and turned away. Hana shook her head gently and placed Azume's head on her lap. "Azume-chan…"

"Azume!" And Hana looked up. "Your mother's looking for you," she said gently, walking with her cousin to the door. Azume turned in the doorway.

"I don't understand you, Hana-nee-san. It's your wedding day! You're getting married! Aren't you excited?"

"Of course I am, Azume-chan," she smiled. The answer seemed to placate the young girl and she skipped away to her mother, waving good-bye to her cousin. Hana smiled as well and slowly closed the door as a frown began to appear. "Of course I am."

Looking around at the cream-colored parlor of the western-style building, she took in the small details. The gold gilding of the furniture, the neutral pinks and creams, the large mirror across from the door above the dresser; she sighed. None of that appealed to her and she found her eyes straying to the window above the daybed. That was where she belonged. Out there...

She quickly turned her gaze, chiding herself for being so easily distracted. It was her wedding day. She should've been happy, excited—anything! So why did today seem so sad for her? She was getting married. Shouldn't that have meant anything to her?

Resting her elbows on the dresser, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Despite being 21, she looked like she was still seventeen. Her skin was still soft and pale and her eyes were surprisingly bright for a kunoichi. Many of her peers looked much older than they actually were.

Slightly calloused fingers skated the smooth surface of the mirror, tracing the outline of the white kimono she wore. Why was she so depressed today? Her family condoned the marriage, her future-husband cared for her, and she felt the same for him, but why did her heart feel so empty?

Glancing at the vase of flowers by her hand, they narrowed slightly at the sight of the red roses. Red. Like his eyes. _He_ was the reason.

Fingers twitched on the smooth varnish of the table as she gritted her teeth in anger and shame. It was his fault. It was his fault for making her this way. She could still remember the last time she saw him; of the last night they shared together, of the bitter morning when she found he had left her in the night without a word of farewell.

Another twitch of her fingers. Her canine teeth gleamed in the light.

It hurt to know she had fallen in love with a man who massacred his family. It hurt to know she had given her virginity to him—something every girl holds dear to her heart, but what made it worse was the fact that in some part of her heart, she still longed for him. Longed to see his face, longed to have him hold her again when she was supposed to hate him and it agonized her that she couldn't figure out something so simple. A rustle in the leaves piqued her senses.

"What do you want?" she spat, turning her head to the man sitting calmly in the window. He simply looked back; red eyes staring almost sadly back at her as his black cloak billowed in the breeze of the open window. Strange that he hadn't seemed to age either.

"I came to wish you well in your marriage," he said as he gazed at eyes that flashed with anger, her hatred so strong, it was almost palpable. She snorted.

"Yeah right."

"You don't believe me?" he asked shifting his legs, cloak parted to reveal his black pants. He smelled like the forest.

"Why should I?" she snapped, turning towards the mirror and grabbing the red lipstick. She had to hurry. Her wedding was in a few minutes.

"Why shouldn't you?" he asked, eyes trailing over her form and drinking her in. She had grown taller since he last saw her. Her eyes flashed dangerously in the chandelier light.

"Why? Why?! Maybe because you're a missing-nin? Maybe because you massacred your entire family for no reason other than your own amusement? Or maybe because you're the same fucking bastard that left me without so much as a good"—

Eyes widened as her sentence was cut off by the crashing of lips upon hers. She clawed madly at his back, trying to pull him off her as he assaulted her senses, making her feel things that she didn't want to feel, want things she didn't want before her fingers gripped his cloak and she melted against him. Despite her bitter words, she tasted as sweet as he remembered.

Slowly, she felt herself being led somewhere. Her feet followed his urgings. In the back of her mind, she could feel a part of her desperately trying to get away, screaming at her to run, but she couldn't—wouldn't as he lavished her with pleasure that made her toes curl and her heart leap into her throat.

Hands pressed against her shoulders and into the small of her back and she felt herself being lowered into what she realized was the daybed. Her arms intertwined behind his neck, fingers lacing into his raven hair as she felt him brush away the collar of her kimono, lips moving steadily lower as her heart raced.

Suddenly, she felt a change in the air; felt his kisses and touches change into something akin to tenderness and watched from under heavy lids as he looked at her with adoring eyes and a kind smile before kissing her again, petal-soft lips pressing against hers that made her heart flutter and break at the same time. A tear fell from her eyes.

"You mean…"

"Yes," he whispered, and she felt guilt wrap itself around her throat. All those years of thinking of him as a selfish monster, of believing that kiss as a fanciful dream…

"Why?"

He smiled softly. "Because I knew you'd never be happy with me."

And she looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had been wrong. All these years, she had been wrong about him. He seemed to understand that and wiped away a tear and she smiled despite herself as memories played out before her mind. It was hard to believe that even after all these years, the endearing side of him that she fell in love with still remained.

He pressed his lips against her again, licking her lips for entrance and she granted it, opening her mouth slightly, savoring the feel of his tongue against hers before the kiss changed; became rougher, deeper as he pressed her against him, needing to feel her against him to keep from losing his mind. His hand slipped from the small of her back, moving into the opening of her kimono when he heard faint footsteps in the hallway. Someone was coming.

"Hana!"

And Hana's eyes widened with fear. "Mother…"

She turned her head to tell him of their intruder when she found him missing. Sitting up, she grasped the opening of her kimono to see him already in the window. "Itachi…"

"You're a very beautiful woman. You'll make your husband very happy," he said suddenly and turned to look over his shoulder, eyes holding hers as emotions raced across them. He braced his hand on the window frame.

"I love you, Inuzuka Hana. Despite whatever pain I bring you, know that."

And then he was gone, the only evidence of him ever being there being the faint scent of him lingering in the room. Numbly, she walked back over to the dresser and sat in the cushioned chair to look at her reflection. Her kimono was askew and her makeup was smudged. Idly, she thought of the infamous Uchiha Itachi running around with smudged lipstick on his mouth and laughed before her laughter gave way to the dull ache in her heart and the sensation of tears in her eyes.

When Inuzuka Tsume entered the room, she saw her daughter sobbing silently on the tabletop. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and asked what the matter was. Hana said they were tears of joy. She was getting married after all.

Hana watched as her mother left the room, none the wiser as Itachi's scent was lost in the sea of perfume and potpourri that filled the building.

Turning her head, she stared once again at the woman looking back at her in the mirror before she caught something caught her eye.

There, on the tabletop, was a pressed flower. Its petals were faded, but she could still see the hints of purple and red that were once there. Gently, she stroked the petals, feeling the satin texture against her fingers before picking up the small card that had stood beside it and read it aloud to herself.

_"Itsumo,"_ she whispered softly before feeling her eyes well up once more, biting her lower lip to choke back the sob she knew wanted to come out before lowering her head and allowing herself to sob into her arms once more.

---

I know. It isn't as good as Show Me Heaven, but I'm sick and I haven't really written anything of that caliber in a while. I wish school didn't exist so I could further perfect my writing instead of regress, but unfortunately, my school will not just go die. Until the next installment.

-moodiful819


	3. Show Me Heartbreak: Kakasaku

Title: Show Me Heartbreak

Rating: T

Genre: Angst/ Romance

Character(s): Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura

Summary: It's Christmas in Konoha and everyone is in their homes except for the one man wandering the snow-covered streets in the light of the moon.

---

Snow crunched softly underfoot. A breeze blew through the air, chilling his face as the sounds of the village floated around him. He closed his eyes, wishing he could close his ears instead as warm laughter filtered through the closed windows of the buildings around him. He rubbed his eye in frustration.

'_What's wrong with me?'_ he asked himself as he lifted his gaze to see the shadowed figure of a tree stretch up to the sky and he found himself reaching up with it, as if to grab the moon with the tree. He shook his head, ignoring the glare of multi-colored lights bouncing off the snow.

It was Christmas in Konoha, a time of presents, friends, peace, and joyous celebration. Even the missing-nin seemed to abide by this, seeing how there was always a drop in high-rank missions around this time of year. He should've been happy. He didn't have to worry about getting killed for a few weeks, he had enough money to keep him comfortable until the missing-nin shook off their festive feelings and decided to terrorize another village or kill another ambassador, and Konoha was covered in white snow, the last snowfall being when he was a child, but he wasn't happy.

A tiny ring reached his ears and he looked down at the small weight in his gloved hands, glaring at it with misplaced rage as he tightened his grip on it. Of all the times to find out, _why now?_

_Flashback_

_Kakashi stared at himself in his bathroom mirror as a clock ticked the seconds past outside the door. He scanned his face meticulously, searching for anything that could possibly ruin tonight, despite the fact he would wear his mask as usual, but he was paranoid. Paranoia was essential for a shinobi and it had saved his life before. Why question it now?_

_Satisfied with how he looked, he started to get dressed, opting for a black turtleneck, black pants, and a tan-colored coat once he got a look out the window._

_As he got ready, he gazed out the window of his small apartment, taking in the rooftops covered in snow and Christmas lights as the makings of a snowball fight could be made out from below. One child was caught off-guard and was hit by a snowball so hard they landed backwards in the snow. Kakashi couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips._

_He glanced at the clock. 7:30. Still too early, he told himself and he paced on the rug covering the floor, wishing time would hurry up as his eyes continuously flitted to the small silver box on his table. He felt his hands begin to sweat as unease began to set in. Maybe this wasn't a good idea—maybe he should wait another day, but he reminded himself he had already waited three years. He couldn't keep running from this forever. _

_Another glance, another tock, and he chanced a look at the clock. 8:00. She would be definitely be home by now._

_And grabbing the small box, he walked out the door and into the streets. As he walked, he passed by familiar faces, smiling and greeting the couples he knew and waving to the people he didn't know, but knew him. _

_After a while, he broke away from the crowded streets that led to the village square, moving further and further towards the residential part of Konoha where the buildings were old, but still newer than his._

_Fingers fumbled with the box in his pocket nervously as he winced at the clammy feel of his hands. His heart began to race, thumping loud enough that he swore he heard the echo in the street. Glancing around, he saw the softer glow of fireplaces through windows and smiled beside himself, glad people could celebrate this holiday without the threat of death hanging over their heads._

_Walking past the darkened shop windows, he realized he was getting closer to her house and felt his heart race once more as a traitorous part of his mind pleaded with him to go back, pretend he never came back from his mission early and visit her tomorrow like she expected him to, but he refused. He had to do this. She had to know how he felt, that he had spent the past three years pining for her and that watching her from afar was killing him. _

_She had to know he loved her._

_And suddenly, he found himself beneath the window of her apartment, staring up to see her lights on. He smiled beneath his mask, giddy despite the fear, and jumped to rest on the railing of her balcony, his hand poised to knock on her decorated window as his other hand held her gift, but what he saw made him wish he had never come at all._

_There, in the window was Sakura, the 21-yr-old's eyes alight as the Uchiha heir wrapped his arms around her and bent down to kiss her. _

_It was wrong. It was so wrong! Everything about that moment was so wrong because it was so damn perfect! The soft glow of the lights in her living room, the Christmas tree all lit up in the background, and the way the tinsel in the window framed the moment made it seem like some fricking Christmas card, and it became painfully clear to him…They were perfect for each other; and perfectly happy. After all, why should she settle for him, a jaded old man from a broken clan and an addiction to pornography when she could have the Uchiha Sasuke, the boy who had come from the most prestigious clan in Konoha's history? The boy she had loved since she was a child and fought tooth and nail to get back?_

_Sitting on the rail, watching all of that—he couldn't stand it, and he did the only thing his mind had been right to tell him all night._

_He ran._

---

And here he was, in the middle of the night in the freezing streets of Konoha, nursing a broken heart and holding a gift he had no fucking idea what to with anymore.

He stared at the gift, watched the moonlight bounce off the silver box and pink bow, watched it glow in his hand as it looked back at him mockingly, reminding him of how she would never be his and would never care to be. Spitefully, he glared at it, wishing she and the rest of the world would just go to hell as his blood roared in his ears and made him feel hot and cold at the same time.

He wouldn't say he was jealous because shinobi didn't feel those types of emotions, but he would say he _felt_ things. Hurt, disappointed—betrayed, on his and her part, but he felt disappointed in himself for saying such things. Sasuke was a great shinobi and had the potential to become even better, and Sakura had every right to fall in love with anyone she wanted, even if it hurt him to let her go before he even had her.

Tomorrow, he would apologize to her for saying those awful things about her, knowing she wouldn't understand him at all and look at him worriedly. He would just smile benignly, wave her off, and say that he was happy for her and Sasuke, but that would be tomorrow. Today he felt tired and sick to his stomach. About her, about him, about everything.

Staring at the box in his hand, he chucked it away from him, happy to be rid of it as the snow began to drift from the heavens once more.

Turning his back, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to walk away. To where, he didn't know. He just knew he had to go away for a while to think about things.

He let his feet carry him where they would, all the while the snow gently fell and the moonlight bounced off the satin lining of the opened box. Inside, a silver heart-shaped locket with a pink inlay in the shape of a sakura blossom caught and gleamed in the moonlight before being buried by the fine white powder, lost until the spring thaw or some lucky passerby came upon it while Kakashi became nothing more than a dot on the horizon.


	4. Show Me Those Who Are Left Behind

Title: Show Me Those Who Are Left Behind

Rating: T

Genre: Tragedy/Romance

Character(s): Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura

Summary: Because death is as much a cause as it is an effect.

(Note: The italicization of lines change due to it being mostly thoughts and flashbacks. After the large flashback, Sakura's thoughts become standard text. Inspired by I'm Sorry by bones-angel.)

---

Harsh panting echoed in the empty forest.

'_No.'_

Colors blurred in her field of vision, clouded by tears that were threatening to spill over. Something hot rolled down the side of her face.

'_Shishou has to be wrong. She has to be!'_

Her heart hammered in her chest, words and emotions trying to claw their way out of her body and reach a world newly-found cruel.

'_This can't be happening! It just can't be!'_

But Tsunade's words were clear in her mind, still sharply ringing in her ear.

"_Shishou, you called me?" Sakura asked; arms wrapped securely over a stack of files as she tried to decide what she would make for dinner when he came back._

_Tsunade looked up, lips etched into a grim line as she furrowed her brows and looked at anywhere but the bright 20-yr-old woman before her as she delivered the news. Kami, why her?_

"_Shishou, if there's nothing you want, I'm going to go into town to shop for groceries for din—"_

"_Don't bother," the woman said softly, but it was still loud enough to convey the bitterness in her voice. Sakura looked at her mentor in puzzlement._

"_What? Why? Shishou, you and I both know humans have to eat, and I'm sure he—"_

"_He's not coming back, Sakura." There, she said it. Now she could rest in hell and think it as paradise compared to this; the churning in her stomach told her so. _

_She lifted her gaze up to see how well her apprentice was taking it, wincing as the files slapped against each other in their fall, littering the blue carpet with white paper and ink. Sakura trembled where she stood, but she was trying to stand strong—stay strong, but her nervous smile said otherwise._

"_I…don't understand, shishou. You have to be wrong. Maybe it's a mistake—maybe you have somebody else—maybe—"_

"_They found the ring, Sakura." _

_And her eyes widened in recognition. In the back of her mind, a memory played. Of a cheesy little promise ring with a cherry blossom. Of a promise that he would return home safely. Of a final kiss between them, and of a bittersweet departure that smelled of sandalwood, summer, and the night air. _

And it all snowballed from there. She couldn't say she remembered what happened, but briefly, the thought of running out of the room to go anywhere crossed her mind, but no matter where she ran, she'd never be able to escape.

"_I've sent Anbu to retrieve his body."_

'No…'

"_I'm sorry, Sakura."_

'This can't be happening.'

"_I'll understand if you need some time off after this."_

'This is all wrong! Kakashi, tell me this is all wrong!'

"_I'll have Shizune cover your shifts."_

'This can't be! Don't tell me this is true! You can't be dead! Please!'

Twigs scraped her skin, and briefly, the sense of pain reached her mind.

'Please, Kakashi!'

"_We're engraving his name on the stone in two day's time."_

'I need you…'

"_Sakura…"_

And her head snapped up in surprise and looked around to try and find him. She could've sworn she heard him, and looking around at the trees surrounding her and the memorial stone, she realized she had been running blind.

Wind blew gently across her face, lightly ruffling her hair just like a certain man used to do.

"_You worry too much. I'll be fine."_

A bubble of anger; a tear fell. Fists balled at her sides as her eyes screwed shut. Breathing was becoming difficult.

"_Sakura, you worry too much. It'll be fine."_

'_No, it won't.'_

"_Sakura, you and I both know that I can't refuse this. Our village needs me."_

'_But I need you…'_

"_I'll be fine, Sakura. I'll come back. I promise."_

'_LIAR!'_

"Ahhhhhh!"

------

The first thing she realized when the dust began clearing was pain. The second thing was that her knuckles were red and raw and the third was that blood was trickling down her arms. Tears were falling down her face, making her face feel even hotter than she was. Some fell on the grass. Some fell on her lab coat stained brown and green from the dirt and grass. Around her, the training ground lay in ruins, but everything felt like it was eons away like a dream. Was she dreaming?

"Haruno-san?"

She turned to the voice and looked up to see six Anbu members standing before her. She looked up at the one who had spoken to her and realized she heard his voice before. Had he been one of her patients?

"Yes?" she asked, wincing at the burning in her throat as more pain became realized. _What had she been doing?_

"We…found him."

"Who?" she asked. Had someone gone missing?

The Anbu member nodded to one of the other people hidden behind porcelain masks and something was gently lowered on to the ground, rustling in the grass.

There, on the ground was the body of one of the greatest shinobi in Konoha, and the greatest man she ever had the pleasure to know. His clothing was torn; dried blood was smeared over his body like paint and she saw scars she didn't remember seeing before.

She moved aside his hand, ignoring the chill she felt on his skin as she traced an area where the skin was displaced. He had been tortured, but the look on his face said different. He looked somber, calm, and years older and younger than he should've been.

She placed a hand on his face, chuckling slightly as she realized his mask was still intact. She smiled gently. "Kakashi, wake up, ne? You still have to eat dinner. Oh, but I forgot to buy groceries. You're fine with Ichiraku, right?"

He said nothing, but she continued like he had replied.

"I have so many things to tell you. I heard a really funny story today. Shishou told me you died. Isn't that strange, Kakashi-kun?"

She looked at him, searching for an answer in his still features, when a drop of water suddenly appeared on his cheekbone.

Sakura looked up, startled, when another droplet of water fell. And another, and another, until it was pouring rain and it was when she realized that the Anbu were a respectful distance away that she realized that the man she loved was dead.

She gently shook him, the feel of cotton shifting under her fingers reaching her mind. He felt cold.

"Kakashi…Kakashi, wake up. Wake up! _Wake up!_ You can't be dead! You just can't be! You promised me that you wouldn't die, or did you just lie? Was loving me a lie too?! _Answer me!_"

But nothing came. Nothing but the echo of her screams reached her and she felt her body go limp as if all the strength had been drained from her. She felt water slip from the corner of her eyes and heard a distant voice. It sounded like hers, but it couldn't be her saying 'no' over and over again, could it? This was a dream, right? Some horrible nightmare that she would wake up from tomorrow and laugh and tell Kakashi about?

She waited in strained silence, felt the rainwater drench her clothing and cause his blood to wash off into the grass as she waited for a word, a sign—anything that would tell her this was all a horrible mistake…

But it never came, and slowly, she leaned down. Wrapping her arms around Kakashi's neck, she held him against her and shivered. He was so cold, she thought as she cradled his body against him further. She shifted him slightly, resting his nose in the crook of her neck when a tear fell down her face. First one, and then another, and then another until they wouldn't stop and she wept in the shadow of the memorial stone, the Anbu a respective distance away with the full moon shining brightly upon her.


	5. Show Me a Melody: Team Hebi

Title: Show Me a Melody  
Rating: K  
Genre: General/ Hurt/Comfort  
Character(s): Team Hebi: Juugo, Karin, Suigetsu, Uchiha Sasuke.  
Summary: Team Hebi makes camp for the night.

---

Fire flickered aimlessly as he threw another log into the fire, grimacing to himself as Karin latched upon his arm once more. He felt his skin crawl under her touch, but he calmed himself, reminding himself of the fact that he needed her abilities to track his brother, and allowed her to cling to his arm.

The flames danced in his charcoal eyes as he watched the sparks fly from the campfire. It was dark and they stopped for the night to rest. Hearing the small mumbles of a conversation, he turned to see Juugo talking to the squirrels at his feet as small songbirds perched on his broad shoulders before another sound melded with other sounds of the forest.

Sasuke turned his gaze, letting his eyes stray to the tree a little ways away from where he sat. There, Suigetsu sat with his back against the tall tree with a flute to his lips. With a small exhale, he closed his eyes and danced his fingers. A shift against his side alerted Sasuke to Karin's unmovable presence at his side and he looked down to see her red eyes staring up at him as the fire cast her red hair into an orange glow. She smiled at him as if pleased with his sudden attention before falling asleep. Her body snuggled against him, but he couldn't care less. Resting against his sword, he closed his eyes and evened his breathing as he listened to Suigetsu's playing and in the light of the moon, lost himself in memories of happier days.


	6. Show Me Faith: Kakasaku

Title: Show Me Faith  
Rating: T  
Genre: Tragedy/ Romance with a bit of humor.  
Character(s): Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura  
Summary: It would've been nice if she did believe him, but it was his fault. He was the one who made this hole for himself. It was his job to fill it. Kakasaku.

(Inspired by a Kakasaku doujinshi that I do not know the name of. Sorry. Last part quotes doujinshi.)

* * *

Leaves rustled in a quiet breeze against a bright blue backdrop. Clouds moved aimlessly across the sky and the spirit of summer flew around the two lazing about in the sun. Sakura sat up to face her companion.

"Hey sensei?" An unintelligible grunt came as a reply. "Who do you like?" the twelve-yr-old girl asked suddenly as her mind wandered back to the question posed to her by Ino. The two had been at her family's shop and Ino had been filling her in on the relationships in Konoha: Asuma and Kurenai, Izumo and Kotetsu, Neji and Tenten, but when it suddenly turned to her own sensei, things turned towards a grey area. Who did Kakashi-sensei like?

The sound of rustling grass brought Sakura from her thoughts and she watched her sensei sit up, pulling away the orange book that had shielded his face from the sun to reveal the up-turned crease of his eye that she had come to know as a sign he was smiling. He dusted off the grass on his shirt before speaking.

"Well, Sakura-chan, I like Naruto."

At his words, Sakura immediately froze. Was Kakashi-sensei a pedophile? Should she warn Naruto? Sweat began to pour down her face.

"I like Naruto, Sasuke, Genma, the Sandaime…" And as he began listing more and more people, Sakura let out a sigh of relief and shifted her legs and quietly listened to her sensei's list.

-

Birds chirped happily in the bright sunshine of the day. It was another day, another summer, but Sakura didn't feel as happy as she did last year. Then again, Sasuke hadn't left the village last year. She slowly crept over to where her sensei read in the shade of a tree.

"Sensei?"

"Yes, Sakura?" he asked in his baritone voice as he continued to read. Sakura sat across from him in the shade and sighed depressively.

"Sensei, who do you love?"

Kakashi closed his book. "I love you and Naruto, Sakura-chan."

"Why?" she asked, curious as to why the list ended there instead of prattling names like last year and why his voice was so somber. Kakashi smiled fondly.

"Because you two are like my family now." And he could only hold Sakura as she sobbed against his chest and mourned for their missing teammate.

-

Birds chirped in the air, their songs loud and colors stark against the sky. Unlike the blue skies of summer, today was the grey cloudy of fall. Sakura came bounding up the hill.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi looked up from his book to smile at the fifteen-yr-old girl. "Yo." Sakura rolled her eyes in exasperation before plopping down in the grass beside him.

"Sensei, I came here all the way from the Hokage Tower to see you. You could at least give me a real greeting."

"And you could at least stop calling me 'sensei.' You're a chunnin now, Sakura, and I'm no longer your sensei, right?"

"But it feel weird calling you anything but 'sensei,'" she defended, eliciting an amused smile from Kakashi. He picked up his book once more.

"Ne, sensei…"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Who do you like?" she asked once more, arms behind her as she sat gazing towards the sky. Kakashi looked up in thought. "Hm…Naruto," he said listening to the choking sounds beside him before continuing. "Naruto, of course. Asuma's a good looking guy. Gai's weird, but he's an okay guy. Iruka's a nice guy, Genma too…"

Sakura let out a sigh of relief before glaring at the man besides her. "Come on! That's not what I mean! Be more serious, sensei!"

Kakashi sent her a side-long glance. "But it'd be no use, even if I told you, right?" But the comment went unheard as Sakura continued to plead. Kakashi snapped his book shut and turned to her with an up-turned crease of his eye.

"It's you, Sakura-chan," he said with a fond smile, fingers buried in the short tresses of her pink hair. Sakura pouted and batted his hand away.

"You're avoiding the question again, sensei! Tell me!" she pleaded as Kakashi continued his fond smile, his heart breaking in his chest all the while.

'_See, I told you, didn't I? It's no use even if I told you,'_ he thought, a sad smile ghosting over his face, but Sakura didn't notice, too busy railing at him for being a stubborn old man. He reached forward and ruffled her hair.

"Secret," he told her with a wink and a cock of his head as he smiled regretfully at the girl before him. Despite what she believed of him, he loved her. Loved the way she cared, loved the way she smiled, loved everything about her, but it wasn't any use. It probably never would be, and it was all his fault. If only he hadn't been kidding when this game first began because by now, he'd become a father in her eyes and regretfully, to her, that was all he would ever be.


	7. Show Me a Kiss: Kakasaku

Title: Show Me a Kiss  
Rating: K+  
Genre: Angst  
Character(s): Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura  
Summary: Sakura asks Kakashi to teach her what kissing is all about.

* * *

It is a cloudy day in Konoha when Sakura asks him to teach her kissing. The wind is biting and she is in her standard dress and shorts while he is tucked cozily in his jounin uniform on a tree branch. His dirty novel is cradled in his hand, his thumb split between page 62 and 63, but the only thing his mind is focusing on is the question she has posed and how his brain has suddenly short-circuited. He leaps down.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I don't think I heard that right. Could you repeat it?" he asks. She knows damn well that he heard it correctly and he knows it too, but she repeats it for his sake. His stomach plummets before the words even leave her mouth and the small hope he held for himself to be wrong is quickly destroyed as the question circles his mind.

"Will you kiss me?"

That is all he hears for a while, just the constant loop of the seamless union of her voice and the question. It spirals in his mind and he begins dissecting it like a puzzle because that's all he can do in these cases.

In his mind, it is dark, quiet, and peaceful. There are no famines or wars, no horrible things. Just endless stretches of darkness. In this space, the moment is picked apart from beginning to end.

Her hair is short and the remnants of Sasuke and her shattered heart circle around her like a manic merry-go-round. She is shivering slightly and her emerald eyes stare unblinkingly into his. They're empty. She doesn't seem to recognize that she is deathly pale. Her voice is painfully hollow and slightly quavering and never in his memory has he seen her so pitiful.

She tugs on his shirt tail impatiently and he begins seeing her for the first time. She is short; barely reaching his shoulder. Her hair is at her chin in jagged edges and she is unusually skinny for her age. Her limbs are long and she will have good reach for close-quarter fighting, but what surprises him are her eyes. They are the eyes of a woman. She has seen more than she should have for her age, felt more things that she should have, and in the green depths of her eyes, he can see her desperate struggle to feel anything at all.

In this moment, Kakashi puts away his book with an audible snap. Her spine straightens at the sound, and as he draws himself to full height, she seems to shrink and withdraw from him with wariness in her eyes. For the briefest second, she has second thoughts, but tucks them aside and screws her eyes shut as she clenches her fists so tight, her knuckles are white.

She breathes. It reverberates off her hair and it feels hot against her skin as the sound echoes loudly in her mind. Her heartbeat is there too and she can hear them melt together, a steady 'thub-thub, thub-thub' mixed with the cool sound of a sigh. She can hear him breathe too, but it's muffled. He sounds so far away from her, like Sasuke. Sasuke is far away as well and she wonders how long she will be chasing shadows for. Suddenly, fingertips graze her skin. The sensation causes her neurons to fire sparks into her brain like fireworks and her eyes open wide as she gasps. She looks at him.

"Alright," he replies at last. His voice holds the barest hints of sadness. A part of her screams at the thought of being his charity case, but a larger part of her says she's past caring. She just wants to feel now.

His fingers move further up. The tips are warm and slightly calloused as they trace her jaw line. It feels amazing and she closes her eyes against the sound of her moan. She doesn't have to see in order to know what he looks like. She can feel it in the air. He's smiling and it's small, sad, and pitying.

His fingers move slowly upwards. His palms brush against her throat and he can feel her muscles move as she swallows. A hand cups her cheek as the other reaches up to pull down his mask and a raindrop falls onto her cheek. Her lashes flutter, ready to open, but he covers them with his hand. Her lashes prick through his gloves.

"Keep your eyes closed," he whispers as the field is filled with the sounds of rain. In the silence, they can hear the barest chatters of a civilization running for shelter with the beatings of hearts that seem to have grown too large for their chests. Almost imperceptibly, she nods against him and he continues.

Slowly, he peels off his mask. The fabric is heavy with water and clings to his skin. His breathing is hot and heavy in the air before him as his hands wander and he watches the small puffs of steam rise from his mouth before swallowing audibly. His heartbeat is now in his head and thudding rapidly with such intensity that he feels it will split in two. His palms are slightly clammy and his stomach is nervous. He is nervous and briefly, he wonders if he should really be doing this. It's disgusting and wrong, but one look at her makes him realize that she's desperate and he's as desperate as her.

Cupping her face in his hands, he leans down to close the distance between them. It is awkward and his back is starting to ache from the unfamiliar strain. Their breaths mingle and her cheeks are stained with a bright-red flush.

Thoughts begin racing across his mind at a blinding speed; doubts and fears reaching him with frightening accuracy. His eyes are wide and his heart is thumping wildly now. Nervously, he glances up at her face and sees the barest signs of a sob about to escape before pressing his lips against hers.

The kiss is soft, the gentle melding of lips. Hesitantly, she winds her arms around his neck and awkwardly, he pulls her closer and onto her toes to better reach him. When they pull away, they are both breathless and dazed with the barest hints of shadows and demons on both their faces.

She looks at him as the fog fades from her mind and raising her head, sees him with new eyes. His hair is woven from silver strands. His chest is heaving and though his face is that of a young man, the deep lines lying about his eyes give away his age and gazing into his eyes, she sees him for the first time. He is haunted by his past and burdened by his guilt. He is not the all-powerful god she once thought him to be. He is merely a man and it shocks her. He must have seen it too because once she blinks, he is gone.

Staring at the place he once stood, she crumples, suddenly exhausted. Sitting in the grass, she thinks back on the moments that have just passed. The kiss was soft. The kiss was magical. The kiss was her first and it was meaningless, and drawing her knees to her chest, she feels sadder than she ever has before and begins to cry to the empty field around her.


	8. Show Me Similarity: Saisaku

Title: Show Me Similarity  
Rating: K  
Genre: Angst/ General  
Character(s): Sai and Haruno Sakura  
Summary: One summer's night, Sai hears the words that he has been dreading all these years. [SaiSaku]

**Inspired by XEnchantedMarshie18X's Sasusaku BETA video. Also, I have an AMV contest on my profile. Check it out if you're bored or interested.**

* * *

It was a warm summer night. From the open window of the bedroom, a breeze entered. A stray cat was yowling from a rooftop and in the streets, a dog's bark echoed in the night.

"You're still awake, Sai?" a voice asked sleepily. Looking down, he saw Sakura looking bleary-eyed at him and leaned down to kiss his girlfriend's forehead.

"It's nothing," he answered.

"That's good," she yawned. "I thought something was the matter, but I guess I should've learned by now. Sasuke was the same when we were little. It never stops surprising me how similar you both are."

Her voice was a soft sigh and soon, she was blissfully asleep once more. Silently, Sai stared at her sleeping face before lying on his side facing away from her. Staring at the two pictures of Team 7 on her dresser, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep under the watch of the eyes that were like his, but not his.


	9. Show Me Bittersweet: Kakasaku

Title: Show Me Bittersweet  
Rating: M  
Genre: Romance/ Angst  
Character(s): Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura  
Summary: It was a simple request: "Give me tonight," she whispered. [Kakasaku]

Inspired years ago by ShipperTrish's Let's Have Tonight. This was in my mind forever, but then I forgot, but I remembered again. Hooray for retrieval cues!

* * *

Sweat dripped down her skin. In the soft moonlight, the sounds of soft pants and murmured words echoed the dark room. A finger traced her thigh, her hip, the curve of her waist. Her hands rocked over his shoulder blades; a name left her lips on a sigh.

"_Kakashi…"_

His answer was to stop and look at her long enough to force her to watch as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh; his lips pressing to her before moving up and down her leg in slow reverence. Moving up, his hands held her face as he kissed her. In it, she could taste the remnants of her on his tongue and the quiet desperation in the kiss that filled every move he made this night. Of course, she knew why. She was going on a mission, one that almost guaranteed that she might not come back from. Knowing this, she appeared before him asking only one thing.

"_Give me tonight."_

Naturally, he agreed. He knew just as well as she did that this may be the last time they ever saw each other. Now in his bed, he pressed kiss after kiss into her skin; each holding a prayer for safety that he branded into her skin in hopes that she'd return. There were so many things left between them…so many things left unsaid, so many things left unfinished and not enough time to fix it all. The clock on the wall thundered in the back of his mind.

He wanted for time to stop. He wanted the night to stay forever so he could stay in this moment forever, where he could show her how much she meant to him. Night was the only safe place for them and he dreaded the thought of dawn, of when she'd have to leave and he could lose her forever. Pulling away, he saw the red indents of his teeth in her shoulder.

His thrusts were becoming faster, rougher; the moonlight shifting over their bodies in an erratic dance. He'd brand himself into her body even if it killed him, if only for her to have a piece of him with her wherever she ended up. It wasn't fair. Why her? Why her and not someone else?

Looking up to see tears in her eyes, he could see she felt the same; her eyes mirroring his own pathetic wish for her not to go—for her to stay here with him—but they both knew it was impossible. She had been personally picked for this mission and she would depart from the gates alone at dawn.

A groan, a cry. Soft petals of breath brushed against her shoulder as his hands slowly slid up to hold her closer to him. His body was beginning to scream for rest, but he couldn't—_he wouldn't_. As long as she was still here, he was going to stay awake—keep going.

He pulled her under him. In the back of his mind, he noticed how small her body was compared to his. Under his hand lay hers and she laced her fingers with his. Leaning down, he settled his weight onto her and pressed his lips to her shoulder, her collarbone, her neck, before pressing his lips to hers.

The kiss was tender and sweet; the melding of two hearts frozen in a moment of time. He wished he could stay there forever…

Pulling away for breath, he turned his head and choked a sob against her lips, feeling the warm glow of daylight on his back as tears stung his eyes and his heart withered in his throat.


	10. Show Me Hatred: ItaSasu

Title: Show Me Hatred  
Rating: T  
Genre: General/Hurt/Comfort (possible romance if you squint?)  
Character(s): Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke  
Summary: Itachi looked at his brother and closed his eyes. 'Let me purge you of your sin. Give me your hatred. Let me bury it in my grave.'

* * *

In general, I wrote this at two different times, so you can see I lost where I was going with this. Lots of religious terms for someone who doesn't go to church. Hmm…

Fire scorched the now-barren wasteland that lay spread before him. The smell of burning flesh reached his nostrils and in his mind, figures and strategies lashed out at him with the barest flickers of his eyes.

Movement. His eyes traced it to a small point across from where he stood. His opponent was crouched, gripping his shoulder and hunched over in pain and for a second, the feeling of genuine concern washed over him. Despite his status as a missing-nin, the boy he was facing was his little brother and even his heart wasn't cold enough to deny the feelings that would entail.

Pain. His face twisted in agony as saliva poured from his contorted mouth and a smaller part of him wished to rush over to Sasuke's side, but he reminded himself that he had no right to touch his brother after what he did. After all, his actions were the cause of this battle.

A strangled cough echoed across the landscape, shaking Itachi to his core. Though his face was disaffected, the sound reverberated in his body as his mind screamed incessant apologies that meant nothing now. The damage was done. Their family was dead and they had the same amount of blood on their hands as the other.

A shadow appeared in the rising curls of dust and Itachi went on autopilot. His moves were smooth and efficient, products of endless training and years of honing his skills as he disposed of his enemy quickly without even batting an eye. It wasn't that surprising because this was what always happened. This was normal and the thought chilled him as his fears were reaffirmed at last. He was a monster, a weapon with no moral conscience and no means to an end.

No, wait, that was wrong. There was going to be an end to him and it was going to happen today by the one person he cared about most. Think of him as you will, but the only people with the right to call him horrible were himself and his brother. His parents didn't have the right after what they did, but he should've expected it. Sinners are borne of sinners and he was no different than the two that spawned him.

'_I was only following orders.'_

For nights on end since that fateful night in Konoha, that was his only solace. During those days, he did not sleep; he did not eat, instead choosing to waste away in his own self-pity when the Akatsuki found him. And after that, he spent his days waiting, waiting for Sasuke to kill him and redeem their family. Secretly, he would dream of the day he would die, if only to taste that redemption as well as to soothe the conscience of his younger brother.

"Poor otouto…" he whispered, more to himself than towards the subject of his sadness, but the comment had been heard and received as a mocking taunt. It was very well. Sasuke was beyond talking now and had been for years. And even if he told him the truth of that night—that Konoha had signed the death warrant on their family—that he was made the executioner—that truth was a much crueler mistress than anyone had ever thought possible—how would Sasuke react to that? But Itachi already knew the answer.

_He wouldn't be able to take it._

And so, Itachi would take this secret to his grave. He threw barb after barb, insult after insult to incite his younger brother's ire. He wanted to feel his hatred, be consumed by the white-hot fire of his rage to burn away his sin. His brother had to kill him and Itachi would accept nothing but that end. He would die and with him, he would take the sins of his family, Konoha, and of Sasuke.

And as he felt his strength drain from his body, he smiled. His journey was finally over and he could finally rest.

As his vision began to fade, he saw an old memory of the two of them when things were simpler. It was spring; their lawn was a lush green sprinkled with small wildflowers and the first dragonflies of the year signaled the approach of an early summer. He had just come back from a mission and on the engawa of his family's house, he spotted his mother and his six-yr-old brother. Upon his arrival, Sasuke bounced up and down on their porch before flying down the flagstone path under the gaze of their watchful mother. Itachi, who was sharing this view, smiled as Sasuke sprinted as fast as his little legs could, only to watch his brother trip and fall on his face.

Alarmed, Itachi immediately leapt to his brother's side and helping the boy up, almost burst out laughing as Sasuke looked at him with a stubborn pout at his foiled attempt at a hug. Taking inventory of his brother's skinned knees and the small gash on his forearm, he signaled to his mother that Sasuke was fine and told his brother not to worry her. In response, Sasuke pouted, remarking it wasn't his fault he fell and that something tripped him. In response, Itachi told him it wasn't nice to lie, causing his brother to hotly retort he wasn't and Itachi to playfully flick Sasuke's forehead, a smile on his face; unaware of the trail his bloodied fingers left on Sasuke's face or the warm smile that would haunt his brother for the rest of his days.


	11. Show Me the Moon: JirTsu

Title: Show Me the Moon  
Rating: K+  
Genre: General  
Character(s): Jiraiya and Tsunade  
Summary: When Tsunade was little, she asked Jiraiya to show her the moon. (Slight JirTsu)

* * *

Grass rustled as footsteps clambered to reach the crest of the hill. Night had fallen and the warmth from earlier in the day still lingered here, the smell of summer gently wafting on updrafts and breezes.

"Hurry up, Tsunade!" cried a young boy as he beckoned the granddaughter of the first Hokage to run faster. The blonde girl sent him a miffed pout.

"Shut up, Jiraiya! It's not my fault I can't see where my feet are landing. This grass is too tall!"

"Oh, stop with the excuses. I'm shorter than you and I'm way faster than you!" he argued from atop the hill. "Come on, you're halfway there!"

"Shut up, you little buttmuncher," she snapped as she ran up the hill. Jiraiya sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Kami, could you be any slower? Improve on your night vision a bit and maybe you wouldn't take so long."

"You moron, you know my family doesn't let me out after dark. Remember?"

He rolled his eyes. Of course he did. Just because he was a genin, didn't mean he was an idiot. The family of the first Hokage was known for being protective, near goddamn infamous for it. He sighed.

"You about done yet? You're wasting my time."

"Damn it, I'm almost there. Besides, shouldn't you be a little nicer to me? It is my birthday, after all."

Yeah, he knew it was her birthday. The entire village had been harping about it and sensei had nearly chewed his ear off talking about how it was such an honor to have the granddaughter of his sensei as his student. Of course, today had been a lax day since it was her birthday, but when present time came around, it all started going downhill…

Sensei had gotten her a medical scroll. It wasn't really that surprising, seeing how he knew a bunch of jutsu and he found her looking at a medical scroll in his office once. Orochimaru had gotten her a pair of earrings. It was stupid seeing how she didn't even have pierced ears (that idiot probably grabbed the first thing he saw off his dresser), but of course, she had been completely enamored with them. (Honestly, could she be more obvious about her infatuation with their freak teammate?) And of course, since the birthday girl did not give presents to herself, that left him, which invariably left him screwed since he forgot it was her birthday.

Fearing her wrath as she asked in that not-so-subtle tone of hers where her present was as she cracked her knuckles, he immediately opened his mouth and let the first thing that came to his mind fly out. Unfortunately for him, the first thing to fly out of his mouth was _"Whatever you want!"_

Now as soon as that phrase flew out of his mouth, a kind of quiet settled over the training ground. It wasn't the pleasant kind of quiet, but the type that makes you want to go bury yourself in a hole. The fact everyone was staring at him like he grew another head didn't help at all, but the wrathful blonde had not beat his face in, so there was at least that one upside.

"Come again?"

Jiraiya chuckled like an idiot. "Name the one thing you want to do most in the world, and I'll make it happen," he said with a smile as Orochimaru sent him a look that said 'You're-a-bigger-idiot-than-I-thought' while their teacher covered his face with his hand and shook his head in the 'This-is-not-going-to-end-well' kind of way.

At the complete lack of faith his teammates showed at his ability, he turned to Tsunade, praying to Kami or whoever the heck would listen to him that she did not pick a date with Orochimaru. If she did, not only would he fail in procuring said date and get pummeled into the ground by the little spitfire, the snake-obsessed teammate would kill him just for asking.

With baited breath, he waited, as did their other teammates just to see what Jiraiya's fate would be. Suddenly, she looked up and stated in the calmest tone he had ever heard from him, "I want to see the moon."

Now, out of all the things she could have wished for, that was the one thing he hadn't expected. Her response was so out of the blue that the shock of it sent him colliding face first with the dirt of his own accord. Luckily, the taste of top-soil brought him back to reality.

"The moon?!" he asked incredulously as he spat out a sickening mix of soil and spit from his mouth, "I give you perfect opportunity to make me do whatever the hell you want and you want to go see the moon?!"

"Yes," she replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He sent her a disbelieving look.

"Why?!"

"The view isn't as good from my house." And with that, she left. It was only later when sensei pulled him aside that he found out that Tsunade was never allowed to go outside after dark. She had already been kidnapped once and after they got her back, her grandfather refused to let her out of his sight again. The fact that she had never seen the moon other than from pictures and the small confines of her room, made him feel a bit sorry for her. A triumphant laugh brought him from his thoughts.

"Ha! You can't say I didn't make it no-O-O-OW!" she screamed, eyes widening as she began to plummet towards the ground. It was just her luck that as soon as she got near the top of the hill, she would step into a hole.

Waiting for a fall that never came, she looked up to see a familiar shirt and the edges of a messy white fringe. "Jiraiya?" she asked softly. He helped her back to her feet and dusted off his shirt.

"Kami, be more careful next time. You're the granddaughter of a Hokage and besides, if you fall down, you don't have anything to cushion your fall, what with your flat chest and everything," he stated off-handedly only to feel a fist smash into his skull. He turned back in annoyance. "What was that for?!"

"Keep those comments to yourself, or better yet, don't think them at all!" she snapped. Under the sounds of the wind, she could hear a faint murmur and snapped her head in his direction. "What are you muttering about?"

"Nothing," he sang rubbing the lump forming on his head before looking up to see a petite hand.

"Well? I haven't got all day."

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he reached up and grabbed her hand, letting her pull him up before dusting off his clothing.

"So now what?" she asked, a hint of impatience in her voice and where she expected a smarmy remark or something of that nature, he smiled whole-heartedly at her.

"I'll show you," he said running across the field of grass. Their footsteps disturbed the green blades and with each step they took, fireflies erupted into the sky. When the distance became too much, he waited for her, waving eagerly for her to follow him as he lead them further and further away from the lights of the village. Suddenly, he stopped and she collided into his back. She rubbed her nose.

"What the hell did you stop for? Kami, give a girl a little warning next time!" But her complaints fell on deaf ears and peering over his shoulder, she could see why.

"It's the moon," she whispered in awe, staring at the large yellow-white sphere before her. It was huge and reaching out, it was almost like she could touch it.

"It's beautiful," she said. Tears began to brim in her eyes and he realized that this was the first time that he ever saw her truly happy. He gave her a fond smile.

"I knew you'd like it," he said with the slight hubris that she had always found annoying and endearing at the same time. Feeling him grip her hand once more, he led them to a place where the heavenly glow shined its brightest and moving to sit in the grass, they fell back, lounging lazily in the moonlight as fireflies danced before their eyes.


	12. Show Me the Stars: JirTsu

Title: Show Me the Stars  
Rating: T  
Genre: Angst/ Romance  
Character(s): Jiraiya and Tsunade  
Summary: The years have passed. Much has changed, but the night sky seems forever eternal, and she looks for him in the stars. (Sequel to Show Me the Moon. JirxTsu)

* * *

Shadows passed over the room. In the dim glow of the desk lamp, it seemed that the room was actually cold rather than warm.

She threw her head back, taking a swig from the sake bottle with a complete disregard for the small dish that tradition dictated she use. With a snort, she laughed at the idea. A small little dish wouldn't hold enough liquor for her to drown her sorrows and as an embittered Hokage, she mused that it gave her enough right to spit upon tradition. He might not have liked it, but it wasn't like he could stop her. He was dead and it was just another cruel truth that she didn't want to accept, but had to.

Placing the bottle onto her desk, she picked up her pen and took a form off the large stack of papers to her left—never mind the other three on her right.

She stared down at the document, a mess of mumbo-jumbo words that couldn't reach her mind. Idly, she wondered if it had anything to do with the alcohol she consumed, but remembered that she could never really pay attention to foreign policies anyway. In her mind, they were a bit too boring and they were better off solving their problems with booze and hugs. Of course, it would mean that the shinobi they knew would cease to exist, but imagining the feared Hatake Kakashi as a fierce cuddling machine was enough to raise her spirits for just a bit before they slowly drifted down to where they originally were.

Scowling as she stared at the document, she sighed and drew away from it, choosing to walk over to the window. She decided to open it—the room was getting to be too stifling anyway—and at the first burst of fresh air, she felt like flying.

Resting against the strip of wall between windows, she gazed forlornly outside to see lanterns gently swaying in the wind. For some reason, they reminded her of him, him and his stupid white hair. Idly, she wondered if he would peep on the women's baths if he was still alive before snorting in laughter. The alcohol was really starting to get to her, but she had hoped it would. Pain was always easier to deal with when drunk and sake always had the ability to make even her worst realities seem like some horrible dream that she would just wake up from the next time she opened her eyes.

A sigh escaped her lips as her lids lowered. Who the hell was she kidding? She already knew he was dead, but the truth never really made things easier to accept.

Staring out the window, she found herself staring up at the stars. Funny how giant balls of flaming gas could enamor her so much and she found herself laughing raucously as she likened them to Jiraiya, giant windbag that he was.

Suddenly her laughter died, as if by using his name, he was dying just that much more in her mind. The people that said that people never die and live on in your memories were fucking idiots. If you had Alzheimer's, it didn't do you much good, did it? And what if memories weren't enough? What if she wanted more? What if she wanted him here, alive and being the lewd moron that he was so she could laugh and drink and cry to him like she used to?

She had so much to tell him. So many things left unsaid. She wanted to tell him how Naruto was doing, slap him for corrupting the boy further than he had originally been, flaunt her student in his face, drink until they couldn't move. She wanted to tell him about Dan, about Sakura and Shizune, about how scared she was of everything now. He had died. He had been damned near-invincible and he died and now she didn't know what to do anymore. He was supposed to ground her to this world, let her confess her deepest thoughts and fears and comfort her so she wouldn't be afraid anymore. It wasn't fair for him to die when she needed him so much. So what if he had been a pervert? It didn't change the fact that he was a reliable guy with a good head on his shoulders when it counted.

And maybe…maybe she did hold feelings for him. Feelings she never cared to admit because after Dan, she was too afraid to feel anymore. Maybe she did feel the same for him as he did her, but it didn't matter now. He was dead and she'd never be able to tell him.

Letting herself slide down the wall, she landed on the floor with a small thud. Tears were pouring down the sides of her face, but she didn't make a move to stop them, too exhausted to wipe them away. Instead, she let them fall of their own accord, feeling them burn hot trails down her cheeks before they fell to stain her clothing with saltwater.

Turning her head to the window once more, she found her eyes gazing up at the night sky. From where she sat, she could still see the moon. A reminiscent smile graced her lips and she knew that if he saw her, he'd try to woo her with a cheesy pick-up line from one of his books. She didn't know why, but the thought comforted her in some odd way.

Gazing up at the moon, she lost herself in memories. She never did forget Jiraiya's birthday present and if she closed her eyes, she could still remember the feel of his small calloused hand holding her slightly smaller one. Their hands could've fit anyone's hand, but the way their hands fit together had seemed special and when she remembered just how warm his hand felt, she smiled.

Opening her eyes to the moon, she imagined the two of them hugging and smiling, but trailing her gaze to the stars, she knew that he wouldn't be on the moon; he would be there, moving freely through the galaxy like he did in this life and she knew she would find him there.

Whispering a small prayer, she asked him if he was still watching over her like he did when he was alive before settling to stargaze as a small breeze played with her hair and warmed her heart.


	13. Show Me Justifiable Rage: ItaSakuSasu

Title: Show Me Justifiable Rage  
Rating: T  
Genre: Romance/ Humor  
Character(s): Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura  
Summary: It wasn't plausible in the least. Itachi couldn't possibly have a crush on his girlfriend unless… "You bastard!" [ItaSakuSasu. Non-massacre.]

A little happy birthday oneshot for Sasuke. Decided I should do something nice for him for once. The alternative was an angsty oneshot and even I'm not _that_ mean. :(

* * *

Sasuke did not like interruptions, especially from his older brother. Granted, older brothers existed for the sole purpose for annoying their younger siblings, but Itachi seemed to get a sick pleasure out of doing it—more than normal siblings.

And they always seemed to be when he was with Sakura. Like when he was on a date with Sakura and Itachi came out of the treetops to announce that mother had an errand for him (why Itachi couldn't do it, he didn't know), or the time he was having sex with Sakura when Itachi barged into the room through the windows. He'd had suspicions that Itachi might have had feelings for his pink-haired girlfriend, but he never followed them any further than that because not only was that a disturbing train of thought, he didn't want to slander his brother's character, even if it was just in his mind.

However, he was not above the idea of kicking his brother out of his house for interrupting his quiet afternoon. He had only gotten back from a high-rank mission two days ago and didn't want to be bothered with his brother's trivial antics. And the bastard had his own house to bother with, why did he have to come to his? Sasuke had thought that once they both moved out of their parent's house, he'd only have to see his brother on holidays and special occasions.

Apparently, he was dead-wrong.

"Hello foolish little otouto," he greeted with his usual condescending smile.

"Itachi," he spat out with thinly veiled annoyance. His brother seemed hurt that he hadn't returned with the traditional honorific of 'aniki,' but Sasuke wasn't about to stoop to that level. (He did, after all, actually want to keep his lunch.)

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I'm hurt, Sasuke. Can't an older brother just come and visit his little brother once in a while?"

Sasuke snorted inelegantly. "You come by practically everyday."

"I miss you," was his reply. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You can miss me at your own house."

"But why miss you at all when I can just come visit you here?" Itachi cooed and it took Sasuke every fiber in his being to not just throw his brother out now. Sensing his brother's waning patience, Itachi decided he'd cut to the chase. "Anyway, the real reason I came was to remind you about the family dinner we're holding now starts at seven. You remember where the meeting hall is, don't you?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied tersely, folding his arms. "And I could've saved you a trip. Mom came by this morning to tell me about the schedule change."

"You still could've forgotten given your small brain."

Sasuke clenched his jaw and narrowed his gaze. "You bastard, if you weren't my brother, I'd—"

"You'd what?" Itachi asked coolly. "And remember to watch your language. You know auntie Setsuko doesn't like swearing."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. How could he forget? She lived three doors down from him. His ear was still smarting from the ear-pulling she gave him for the argument he'd had with Naruto in the alley. It wasn't his fault that he swore. She would too if the idiot had knocked on her door at three in the morning asking if he knew where he kept his spare key. And when Sasuke finally handed his spare to Naruto, the dobe had whipped around and jarred him in the nose with his elbow. Clumsy and dumb; yup, Hinata was a lucky girl.

'_That isn't the only time she's come after me. One time, I thought I saw her looking into my house with a pair of binoculars,' _Sasuke thought quelling a shudder,_ 'I swear, she has it out for me.' _

Luckily, her family had changed her bedroom so it was on the other side of the house now. He really had to thank his cousin for doing that. Maybe a nice gift basket…

"In any event," Itachi announced, jarring Sasuke from his thoughts, "tonight's going to be boring as usual. I love mother to bits, but I can't stand these dinners. Especially since everyone is going to be angling their daughter to me."

Sasuke smirked. "Good luck with that."

Now it was Itachi's turn to glare, but before another verbal sparring match could begin, a door in the hallway opened and the sound of footsteps interrupted them. Sasuke turned around to greet their intruder, and felt his jaw hit the floor. There, in the middle of the living room where his brother was, was his girlfriend in nothing but her underwear holding a dress to her body.

"Sasuke, think this is alright for the dinner tonight and…oh my God, Itachi's here. Sorry!" she shouted, retreating back into the bedroom. Sasuke whipped his head around, his tone menacing as he ground out, "You saw _nothing._"

Itachi chuckled at his brother, a smirk on his face. "Au contraire, foolish otouto. I saw _everything_," he said and Sasuke could practically see every dirty fantasy and machination Itachi was having as he stared after her appraisingly. That bastard, he did have a crush on his girlfriend, and what was more, he was flaunting it.

_"Itachi…"_ he said through gritted teeth, his sharingan spinning lazily.

And that was the last thing Itachi saw before he was summarily punched out of Sasuke's house into the front yard, the door slamming shut upon his landing.


End file.
